Black Friday Experts Predict Another Year of Thanksgiving Doorbusters

ST. THOMAS, US VIRGIN ISLANDS--(Marketwired - October 20, 2016) - Shoppers who are angry about retailers launching their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day are will be disappointed again this year, according to the online shopping experts at Brad's Deals.

The backlash against retailers polluting a holiday that many Americans hold sacred with Black Friday sales, has grown into a movement over the last few years. This national outrage has been covered extensively in the press and has led protesters to create dozens of anti-Black Thursday groups on Facebook.

That hasn't stopped retailers from keeping up the practice.

"We've really seen retailers settling into a pattern of starting Black Friday sales during traditional dinnertime hours since 2012," says Rebecca Lehmann, Manager, Content Marketing at Brad's Deals. "If three years of pushback from the public hasn't inspired the top retailers to move back, then it's unlikely we'll see that happen in 2016."

Brad's Deals has charted Black Friday hours from 2009 through 2015, showing a steady march into Thanksgiving Day, and has laid out their predictions for 2016 Black Friday store hours on their website.

"The mall closures certainly put pressure on smaller retailers to close on Thanksgiving, but top Black Friday destinations like Walmart and Target aren't feeling any pressure at all," Lehmann continued. "So long as shoppers show up and spend money, it's not going to matter how salty they are about being there on Thanksgiving Day."

In addition to stores typically found inside malls, a handful of other retailers have announced Thursday closures. Office Depot recently followed Staples' lead, announcing they will remain closed on Thanksgiving, and more mid-tier stores are likely to follow as the season progresses. However, the big box stores that most shoppers associate with Black Friday deals aren't likely to give up their Thursday hours.

"Nearly everything listed in the Black Friday ads will be available to buy on the retailers' websites, often beginning at midnight on Thursday morning, well before doors even open. Unless you really have your heart set on one of those flashy Thanksgiving Day doorbusters, there's no reason to set foot in a store."

Brad's Deals brings together the best deals on the internet, all in one place. The company has grown from a one-person operation in 2001 to a dynamic, 70-person team that helped shoppers save more than $190 million in 2015 alone. Learn more at www.bradsdeals.com.